Improvement in harvesting-machines



W. ALLEN.

'Harvsting Machine.

Patented Oct. 4, 1864.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ALLEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,500, dated October 4, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ALLEN, of the city andcounty of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mowing or ReapingMachines, of which the following is a full and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of a mowing-machine with said improvement applied thereto. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detached parts of the same. The same numbers indicate like parts'in all the figures.

My invention relates to the manner of engaging and disengaging the motive power which actuates the knives of mowingor reapin g machines, when it is desirable to do so for the purpose of clearing the knives or for folding up the knife-bar to facilitate the transportation of the machine, and which I will now proceed to describe.

Fig. 1 presents a perspective of a mowingmachine with my improvement applied, as seen from the-front of the machine. 1 is the motive-wheel, secured to shaft 2, which has its bearings at 3 and 4. The motive-wheel has on the inner side under its rim a bevel-gear, 5, which gearsinto a pinion, 6, secured to a shaft having a long bearing, 7. At the other end of this shaft is another gear of larger diameter, 8, which engages with a pinion of similar diameterto gear 6, (not represented,) having attached a crank, which, through the train of gearing described, communicates a reciproeating motion to the knives 9 in knife-bar 10 through the connecting-linkll, which is attached to the knives at 12. The lever 13 is for raising or lowering the truck-roller 14, and

tive-wheel. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of i this shaft. 16 is a stationary collar. Between this and the movable collar 17 is slid on by the eye the rod 18 (shown at Fig. 3.) Bracketed down upon the frame 19 at each end by bolts is an arch-shaped casting havinga slot, 21, out obliquely from the line of the shaft 2. Rod 18, above the eye, stands in this slot, while the-short part under the eye 22 fits in a similar slot, 23, under the framing.

It will be readily perceived that by the handle 24 at its upper extremity being drawn in the direction of the arrow, and the eye of the rod 18 fitting snugly between the two collars, and guided above and below diagonally by the slots, as particularly shown at Fig. 6, will slide the shaft 2 outward and with it the motive-wheel, and thus disengages it from the train of gearing already described. Areversal of the shipping will engage it as before. The eye 29 attached to the collar 24 acts as a collar to prevent the shaft from working in either direction unless operated by the handle, as described.

To render it perfectly secure the arched casting 20 is recessed. At the extremities of motion, 25, and 26, a washer, 27, through which the rod passes, is ridged underneath to fit the notch or recess, and a spiral spring, 28, presses and retains it, and with it the rod, in position until required to be shipped. The'washer 27 has a lip on each side of arched and slotted casting to guide and prevent it from swivelling and secure the engagement of the bar with the notches.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim therein as new,and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the oblique slot with the shipping-handle, secured to the shaft as described, as and for thepurpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name the 19th day of August, 1864.

WILLIAM ALLEN. 

